Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-04
Civil Service Reform.

The report OF the committee appointed
by the national civil service reform league
. year ago to collect information concern
ing the conduct of the administration in
regard to the reform OF the civil service.
makes the best showing it can for the
President, and yet after all is confession
that the President has failed to accom-
plsh what was expected of him. George
William Curtis and Carl Schurz are mem.
bers of the committee. as they also were
among the strongest advocates of the
election of Cleveland as civil service re .
former. The report finds that the pot
office department has been run on parti-
ian principles. Olher departments and
bureaus have been conducted in the same
partizan manner.
In Massachusetts and New York an at
tempt has been made to please the mug
wumps. In regard to Indiana the report
says: "Of ninety two Presidential offices
in Indiana the former incumbents of
eighty three we're removed and he employ
Is have been almost entirely changed. OF
1900 fourth class offices l POO have been
changed, and of tho remaining 600 the
smoluments are 80 small that the offices
are not desirable" The committee think
such facts are clear violation oft prin-
ciples of civil service reform, but for this
they censure the post master general and
allow the President to escape responsible
~. If the committee had made thorough
and entirely faithful report, what would
they have said of the appointment OF Hig-
gins, of filling other offices with Jail birds
and scalawags because they had
made themselves useful to the party by
tricks and frauds that honest men would not
be guilty of doing. of keeping corrupt men
In his cabinet? What would they say to
the course pursued in regard to District
Attorney Benton of Missouri and district
attorney Stone of Pennsylvania One was
remo\ ned for making democratic and the
other for making republican campaign
speeches. Cleveland restored the one and
refused TO restore the other, wholly on
account of the differing partlzanship OF the
two speeches.
Where the patronage of the President
could be used to advantage for the interests
of the democratic party he has employed
it. In this State republicans have been
swept out OF Office because they were re
publicans, and democrats have succeeded
them because they were democrats, and
this often at the expense of the public by
the inefliciency of the new men appoint
ed. See the appointment of Morton as
head of the bureau of navigation, a mn
entirely incompetent and unfit for The
place: while Mr.. Patten who was an ac-
complished officer, was remov I'd to make
room tor this democratic ward politician.
In Bangor at this very time the
civil service is suffering on
account of changes made wholly for parii.
Fan reasons. 1t Is the same all over the
State. Where changes could be made to
promote the interests oil the democracy
President Cleveland has made them as
freely as any President ever made APP
pointments tor partizan purposes. So in
other States like policy has been pur.
sued.
The committee have apologized and
-evaded what they could to save the Presi-
dent from censure. but the facts in regard
to his administration are too we'll known
to be covered up or winked out of sight.